How to Create Flat Illustration Characters Using Midjourney

I’ve been creating flat illustrations for my design projects using Midjourney, and I want to share what I’ve learned. If you’re looking to add character illustrations to your work but want to keep things simple and clean, flat illustrations are perfect.

These illustrations strip away complex details and focus on bold shapes and clean lines. They’re easier to understand at a glance, work well across different sizes, and have this timeless quality that doesn’t go out of style.

I particularly love using flat illustrations for:

• Website graphics and landing pages
• App interfaces and icons
• Social media content
• Marketing materials
• Educational content
• Brand mascots

With Midjourney and the right prompts, you can make professional-looking flat illustration characters that fit your needs.

Base Prompt Structure for Midjourney

Let’s look at the basic prompt template I use for flat illustrations:

Flat illustration of a [subject with details], full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, [color] background. –v 6.1

Here’s what each part does:

“Flat illustration of a [subject with details]”

This is where you describe your character. I’ve found that being specific here makes a big difference. Instead of just saying “a person,” I add details about what they’re doing or what they’re wearing. For example: “a friendly astronaut floating in space” or “a student carrying a stack of books.”

“full body shot”

This tells Midjourney to show the entire character from head to toe. I always include this because it gives you a complete character that you can use in different ways.

“minimalistic style”

This keeps the design clean and simple. It helps Midjourney avoid adding too many details that might make the illustration look busy or complicated.

“vibrant color palette”

This part asks for bright, eye-catching colors. I’ve noticed that without this specification, the colors can sometimes come out muted or dull.

“[color] background”

Picking the right background color is crucial. It should complement your character without overwhelming it. In my examples, I use colors like “navy blue,” “light cream,” or “pale green.”

Example Prompts

I’ve tested these 20 prompts and each one gives consistent results. Feel free to use them as starting points and modify them for your needs.

• Flat illustration of a friendly astronaut floating in space, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, navy blue background. –v 6.1

This works well because “friendly” adds personality, while “floating” gives a clear action.

• Flat illustration of a student carrying a stack of books, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, light cream background. –v 6.1

The light cream background helps the character stand out, and “stack of books” gives a clear visual element.

• Flat illustration of a child holding balloons, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, light lavender background. –v 6.1

Kids and balloons make for playful illustrations. The light lavender adds a whimsical touch.

• Flat illustration of a scientist holding a test tube, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, pale blue background. –v 6.1

The test tube adds interest, and pale blue keeps it professional.

• Flat illustration of a soccer player kicking a ball, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, grassy green background. –v 6.1

Action poses like “kicking” give life to the illustration. The green background adds context.

• Flat illustration of a gardener planting flowers, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, pale green background. –v 6.1

The action “planting” captures a moment in time. Pale green keeps it nature-themed.

• Flat illustration of a violinist playing a violin, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, soft cream background. –v 6.1

Musical instruments work great in flat illustrations. The soft cream background helps focus on the character.

• Flat illustration of a farmer holding a basket of vegetables, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, earthy brown background. –v 6.1

The basket adds detail without complexity. Earthy brown ties everything together.

• Flat illustration of a cyclist riding a bike, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, sunny yellow background. –v 6.1

Dynamic poses like “riding” create energy. The sunny yellow adds cheerfulness.

• Flat illustration of a rock climber scaling a mountain, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, slate gray background. –v 6.1

“Scaling” suggests movement. Slate gray gives a rocky, outdoor feel.

• Flat illustration of a flight attendant serving coffee, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, sky blue background. –v 6.1

The specific action “serving coffee” makes it more interesting than just standing.

• Flat illustration of a soldier in uniform standing proudly, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, olive green background. –v 6.1

Adding “proudly” to the stance gives character. Olive green fits the military theme.

• Flat illustration of a basketball player dribbling a ball, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, orange background. –v 6.1

Orange background matches basketball colors. “Dribbling” shows active movement.

• Flat illustration of a stylish girl walking a dog, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, pastel pink background. –v 6.1

Adding “stylish” influences the character’s appearance. The dog adds personality.

• Flat illustration of a businesswoman giving a presentation, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, light gray background. –v 6.1

“Giving a presentation” is more specific than just standing. Light gray keeps it professional.

• Flat illustration of a swimmer diving into water, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, aqua blue background. –v 6.1

The diving pose creates dynamic movement. Aqua blue instantly suggests water.

• Flat illustration of a flight pilot standing in uniform, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, sky blue background. –v 6.1

The uniform detail helps Midjourney create the right character. Sky blue sets the aviation scene.

• Flat illustration of a traveler with a suitcase and map, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, pastel green background. –v 6.1

Multiple props (suitcase and map) tell a story without words.

• Flat illustration of a runner in a track uniform, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, athletic red background. –v 6.1

The track uniform adds authenticity. Athletic red creates energy.

• Flat illustration of a beekeeper holding a honeycomb frame, full body shot, minimalistic style, vibrant color palette, soft yellow background. –v 6.1

The honeycomb frame adds interesting detail. Soft yellow ties to honey.

How to Improve These Prompts

Here’s how I make these prompts work even better:

Add Emotional States

• Instead of “student carrying books,” try “tired student struggling with heavy books”
• Change “scientist holding a test tube” to “curious scientist examining a glowing test tube”

Include Time of Day

• “pilot standing in uniform at sunset”
• “farmer holding a basket of vegetables in morning light”

Specify Age Groups

• “young violinist” or “elderly gardener”
• “teenage basketball player” or “middle-aged teacher”

Add Color to Clothing

• “cyclist in bright yellow jersey”
• “businesswoman in navy blue suit”

Include Simple Weather Elements

• “traveler with a suitcase on a windy day”
• “runner on a misty morning”

Describe Expressions

• “smiling flight attendant”
• “focused rock climber”

Here’s what I’ve learned from creating hundreds of flat illustrations with Midjourney: you don’t need complex prompts to get good results.

The simple formula of describing your character clearly, adding one or two key details, and choosing the right background color works consistently.

Remember that flat illustrations don’t need to be perfect – their charm comes from their simplicity. Focus on creating characters that tell your story clearly, and you’ll be surprised at how versatile they can be.